Means for fastening mail-bags, &amp;c.



, No. 875,720. PATENTED JAN. 7, 1908.

V. MAZZATENTA.

MEANS FOR FASTENING MAIL BAGS, 6w.-

APPLICATION FILED DEC.14.1905.

' lljb'g /nasads: Ina/anion" UNITED STATES VINCENZO MAZZATENTA, OFTURIN, ITALY.

MEANS FOR FASTENING MAIL-BAGS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7, 1908.

Application filed December 14. 1905- Serial No. 291.794.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VINoENZo MAZZA- TENTA, a subject of the King ofItaly, residing at Turin, in the Province of Turin, Italy, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Means for Fastening Mail- Bags,(920., of which the following is a specification.

It is known that in the postal service the mailing matters and valuesare usually inclosed in bags or other receptacles, together with aletter of shipment, and then sealed by means of sealing wax or othermeans.

The present invention has for its object improvements by which theclosure of the bags or packages offers more security and is easier andquicker than by the usual means. The invention includes an improved lockadapted to be applied to the bag or package.

In the drawings which illustrate my i11- vention,*Figure 1 is aperspective view of a part of the lock provided by my invention.

Flg. 2 is a perspective view of a strap or similar device to which isattached the remaining parts of the lock. Fig. 3 is a perspective Viewof a detail. Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the strap and lock complete.

Referring to the drawings,24 indicates a part adapted to close a bag,shown as a belt or strap having at its two ends means which, incombination with the plate device illustrated in Fig. 1, are adapted toconnect the ends of said belt or strap. Upon the right-hand end of thebelt or strap 2 1 a stud 27 is mounted, such stud being provided with agroove 29 and a head 28. Upon the opposite end of the strap a metallicpiece 19 is mounted, such piece having a projection formed with anopening 20 and a slot 21. At its u per side the piece 19 is formed witha cylind iical hole 22.

The member 10 is made ol two plates 10 having room between them for aspring 16, the free end of which is tapered, and projects into anopening 11 of substantially the same size as the head 28. The plates 10are pro vided with openings 12 substantially equal in size to theopening 20, a cut or slot 13, and a pivot 14. The plates 10 are firmlyheld together by means of a frame or border 15. When it is desired toclose a bag, the member 10 and the piece 19 are set together by slidingthe lower corner of the member into the slot 21, and the pivot orrejection 14 into the hole 22. The cut or s 0t 13 receives the left handside of the projecting portion of the piece 19. When in this positionthe openings 12 and 20 coincide, and the ends of the wire of a suitablemetallic seal is let through the coinciding openings, and said sealsquashed in any convenient manner to seal the ends of the wire. Anyother type of sealing member may be used. In Fig. 5 the wire of the sealis indicated at 7, and the head of the seal at 3. The strap or belt 24is then wound around the mouth of the bag, and the pivot stud 27 ispressed through the opening 11 in the member 10 so that the tapered end18 of the spring 16 enters the groove 29 under the head 28. I/Vith theparts in this position it is not possible to open the strap, for thereason that no external means can push back the end 18 of the spring 16so as to free the head 28. In order to open the strap it is necessary tocut the cord or wire 7; it then becomes possible to slide upward themember 1O and free it from the piece 19. When. this is done the two endsof the strap become detached, and the bag may be opened. To remove themember 10" from the strap it is only necessary to turn it around thepivot stud 27 so as to force the end 18 of the spring 16 out of thegroove 29, so that it bears against the flat surface of the head 28,whereupon the member l0 is easily removed and the parts are then intheir initial conditions.

The opening 11 and the pivot stud 27 are shown in the drawings as ofrectangular shape, but they can be given a cylindrical or other form,provided that there is a projection in the pivot 27 acting againstspring 18 in the normal position of the member 10, and having no actionupon it when the same is turned to a certain angle about the pivot.

The frames or borders of the members 10 10 are preferably formed asguides so as to retain a tag or address plate bearing the usual shippinginformation.

The tag is preferably so constructed that it will be locked in positionwhen the lock is sealed. This is clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, whereinthe head 28 passes through a hole made in the tag.

It will be seen that by my invention I provide an extremely secure andefficient means for locking mail bags or the like, and for attaching theshipping directions thereto.

It will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details ofconstruction here shown, since the same can be varied widely Withoutdeparting from the invention.

I claim as my invention:- 1. A fastening for mail bags, including meansfor closing the bag, and a lock having means for separably connecting itto both I ends of said bag closing means.

2. A fastening for mail bags, including means for closing the bag, and alock having a catch adapted to engage one end of said bag closing means,and means for separably engaging the other end of said bag closingmeans.

3. A fastening for mail bags, including means for closing the bag, and alock having a catch adapted to engage one end of said bag closing means,means for disengaging said catch when said lock and end are turnedrelatively, and said lock having means for engaging the other end ofsaid bag closing means, means for holding said parts in engagement, andmeans for preventing the disengagement of said catch while said holdingmeans are operative.

4. A fastening for mail bags, etc., including a strap, a part adapted tobe fastened to one end thereof, a spring catch for fastening the part tothe other end of said strap, and

opening coinciding with that of the strap,,,

whereby a seal may be passed therethrough to hold the parts united, andmeans carried by said plate for engaging such projection.

6. The combination of a strap having at one end an opening or eye, andat the other end a projection, with a plate having an opening coincidingwith that of the strap, whereby a seal may be passed therethrough tohold the parts united when in their normal positions, and means carriedby said plate for engaging such projection, and preventing release ofthe parts while the seal is intact, said means being adapted to permitsuch release when the seal is broken and the parts are turned relativelyto each other.

7. The combination of a strap having at one end a projection, and at theother end an opening 20, with a plate having an opening 12 and a catch18.

8. The combination of a strap having at one end a projection, and at theother end an opening 20 and a recess 22, with a plate having an opening12, a pin 14 and a catch 18.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing means for preventing the release of such witnesses.

catch.

5. The combination of a strap having at one end an opening or eye, andat the other end a projection, with a plate having an VINCENZOMAZZATENTA Vitnesses:

MARIO OArnocio, GoT'r. C. PIRONL

